Local bodies minister, Seechewal visit 'Buddha Dariya'

Local Bodies Minister Dr Ravjot Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal visited 'Buddha Dariya' and 225 MLD Jamalpur sewerage treatment plant (STP) on Tajpur Road on Sunday.Ludhiana East MLA Daljit Singh Bhola Grewal, Ludhiana North MLA Madan Lal Bagga, Ludhiana West MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi, Ludhiana Central MLA Ashok Prashar Pappi;

Additional Chief Secretary, Local bodies department, Tejveer Singh; Director, Local Bodies Department Gurpreet Singh Khaira; MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, Chief Engineer Ravinder Garg, Ludhiana, Chief Engineer of PPCB RK Rattra, Engineer in Chief of Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) Mukesh Garg among other officials were present during the visit.

For dealing with the problem of cow dung being dumped in 'Buddha Dariya', Dr Ravjot Singh and MP Seechewal directed the PEDA officials to speed up the projects for establishing biogas plants in Haibowal and Tajpur road dairy complexes for proper disposal of cow dung. One biogas plant is already operational in Haibowal dairy plant and one additional plant has to be established in Haibowal dairy complex wherein cow dung would be used for generating biogas.

Further the civic body officials have been directed to hire private players for lifting cow dung from dairy complexes and dump the same at designated points until biogas plants are made functional by the PEDA. Civic body officials stated that machinery and man power has already been deployed for lifting cow dung from dairy units and dumping the same at two designated points. Tenders would now be floated for hiring contractors for the same.

Further, Dr Ravjot Singh and MP Seechewal directed the Punjab Pollution Control (PPCB) officials to keep a regular check on working of dyeing industry CETPs and STPs. The PPCB officials have also been directed to take steps and ensure that the waste of electroplating industry is not dumped in sewer lines.

Further the sewerage board officials and contractor working on 'Buddha Dariya' project have been directed to make temporary arrangements for pumping sewerage waste from Gaushala point to STP Jamalpur until intermediate pumping station is established at the Gaushala site. The project to establish Gaushala pumping station is pending due to an ongoing court case. The contractor has also been directed to properly tap the connections of dairy units in both dairy complexes to ensure that dairy waste does not get into the 'Buddha Dariya'.

Cabinet Minister Dr Ravjot Singh and MP Sant Seechewal said they are not against the industry or any other sector, but no one can be allowed to pollute 'Buddha Dariya'. The state government is monitoring the project to clean the 'Buddha Dariya' on a regular basis. People should also support the government and stop dumping waste in the 'Buddha Dariya'.

MP Seechewal said they have already initiated the second phase of 'Kar Sewa' for rejuvenating 'Buddha Dariya' and illegal sewer connections of a few dairy units have also been snapped in the recent past.

Seechewal has pitched a tent at 'Buddha Dariya' site for the 'Kar Sewa'. MP Seechewal appealed the public to step forward and become a part of this movement which has been initiated for cleaning Buddha Dariya, which also has historic and religious importance.